FINA Water Polo Guide 2017-2021 MESSAGE FROM THE FINA PRESIDENT Dear Friends, It is my great pleasure to present you the FINA Water Polo Guide 2017-2021, a valuable document for those who are involved in the promotion and the development of this historical and highly-athletic team sport. Water Polo was the first team sport to integrate the Olympic programme in 1950, and remain as of today a discipline in constant evolution. Some landmarks in water polo evolution can be mentioned: the inclusion of the women’s tournament in the Games, the launch of the yearly Men’s and Women’s Water Polo World League which gather the best squads of the planet, the creation of the FINA Water Polo Referees School and the FINA World Men’s Water Polo Development Trophy. More recently, the new format of the FINA World Men and Women’s Youth and Junior Championships was established, with this competition being contested by players of 18 years old and under in even years and 20 and under in odd years. FINA’s strategy is to enhance water polo’s image worldwide, develop the sport at the grassroots level, thus seducing more young players across the five continents. This game creates a thrilling and exciting show, generating the interest from the media, the sponsors and the fans of our team sport. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly thank our prestigious partners, our National Member Federations, for their continuous support to this discipline. The FINA Water Polo Guide is a key tool to help our players, coaches and referees in their activities. I therefore express my recognition and gratitude to the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee for their expertise and to all those involved in the production of this guide. I wish all the water polo players, coaches and referees to fully embrace and use the FINA Water Polo Guide. Yours Sincerely, Dr. Julio C. Maglione FINA President 2 FINA Water Polo Guide 2017-2021 FINA Bureau 2017 – 2021 President Julio C. MAGLIONE (URU) * First Vice-President Hussain AL MUSALLAM (KUW) * Second Vice-President Sam RAMSAMY (RSA) * Honorary Treasurer Pipat PANIANGVAIT (THA) * Vice-Presidents Paolo BARELLI (ITA) * Dennis MILLER (FIJ) * Dale NEUBURGER (USA) * Members Khaleel AL JABIR (QAT) Penny HEYNS (RSA) Taha Sulaiman AL-KISHRY (OMA) Andrey KRYUKOV (KAZ) Algernon CARGILL (BAH) Margo MOUNTJOY (CAN) Errol CLARKE (BAR) Juan Carlos ORIHUELA (PAR) Dimitris DIATHESOPOULOS (GRE) Donald RUKARE (UGA) Mohamed DIOP (SEN) Vladimir SALNIKOV (RUS) Matthew DUNN (AUS) David SPARKES (GBR) Zouehir EL MOUFTI (MAR) Daichi SUZUKI (JPN) Mario FERNANDES (ANG) Erik VAN HEIJNINGEN Tamas GYARFAS (HUN) * Jihong ZHOU (CHN) Honorary Life President Mustapha LARFAOUI (ALG) Executive Director Cornel MARCULESCU * FINA Executive FINA Technical Water Polo Committee 2017 – 2021 TWPC Commission Chairman Manuel IBERN (ESP) Vice Chairman Mark KOGANOV (AZE) Honorary Secretary Wim KEMAN (CUR) Bureau Liaison Andrey KRYUKOV (KAZ) Members Nasser AL DEGAITHER (KSA) Tamas MOLNAR (HUN) Alan BALFANBAYEV (KAZ) Richard PAPAZIAN (FRA) Milivoj BEBIC (CRO) Guy (Gus) PINKER (RSA) Monica BROCHERO (ARG) William J. (Bill) SHAW (CAN) Yasser IDRIS (EGY) John WHITEHOUSE (AUS) Takeshi INOUE (USA) Athletes’ Representative Stavroula KOZOMPOLI (GRE) Coaches’ Representative Denes KEMENY (HUN) Events Sub-Committee Andy HOEPELMAN (NED) Eugenio MARTINEZ (CUB) Milorad KRIVOKAPIC (SRB) Evgeny SHARONOV (RUS) Katsumi (Ken) KURODA (JPN) Qi ZHAO (CHN) 3 FINA Water Polo Guide 2017-2021 (Guide Version 25-01-2018) Table of Contents 1. OLYMPIC GAMES 6 1.1 Regulations for Olympic Games Men’s WP Tournament 6 1.2 Regulations for Olympic Games Women’s WP Tournament 8 1.3 Regulations for FINA Men’s WP Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 9 1.4 Regulations for FINA Women’s WP Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 11 2. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 13 2.1 Regulations for FINA World Championships Men’s WP Tournament 13 2.2 Regulations for FINA World Championships Women’s WP Tournament 14 2.3 Regulations for FINA World Men’s Junior WP Championships 20&U 16 2.4 Regulations for FINA World Women’s Junior WP Championships 20&U 19 2.5 Regulations for FINA World Men’s Youth WP Championships 18&U 20 2.6 Regulations for FINA World Women’s Youth WP Championships 18&U 23 3. WORLD CUPS 24 3.1 Regulations for FINA WP World Cups – Men & Women 24 4. OTHER FINA WP COMPETITIONS 25 4.1 Regulations for FINA World Men’s WP Development Trophy 25 4.2 Regulations for FINA Men’s & Women’s Water Polo World League 26 5. REFEREES 30 5.1 FINA Water Polo Referees List 30 5.2 Referees for Olympic Games 30 5.3 Referees for FINA Men’s WP Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 30 5.4 Referees for FINA Women’s WP Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 31 5.5 Referees for FINA World Championships – Men’s & Women’s WP Tournament 31 5.6 Referees for FINA World Men’s Junior WP Championships 20&U 31 5.7 Referees for FINA World Women’s Junior WP Championships 20&U 31 5.8 Referees for FINA World Men’s Youth WP Championships 18&U 31 5.9 Referees for FINA World Women’s Youth WP Championships 18&U 32 5.10 Referees for FINA Men’s WP World Cup 32 5.11 Referees for FINA Women’s WP World Cup 32 5.12 Referees for FINA World Men’s WP Development Trophy 32 5.13 Referees for FINA Men’s & Women’s Water Polo World League 33 5.14 Regulations for the Appointment of and Instructions for Referees 33 6. COMPETITION PROCEDURES 54 6.1 Hosting a FINA Event 54 6.2 Equipment for Water Polo Field of Play 55 6.3 Site Inspections 56 6.4 Organising Committee 58 6.5 Desk Operations 60 6.6 Tie Breaking 62 6.7 Penalty Shoot-out 64 6.8 Regulations for Disciplinary Actions in Water Polo 65 4 FINA Water Polo Guide 2017-2021 7. COMPETITION PROTOCOL 68 7.1 Competition Presentation 68 7.2 TWPC Meeting 69 7.3 Technical Meeting (Delegates) 69 7.4 Agenda for Technical Meeting 69 7.5 Referees’ Meeting 69 7.6 Referees’ Clinics 70 7.7 Guidelines for Referees’ Meetings and Clinics 70 8. PLAYING SCHEDULES 71 8.1 Schedule of Games for 4 -7 Teams 71 8.2 Schedule of Games for 8 -12 Teams 72 8.3 Schedule of Games for up to 16 Teams 76 8.4 Schedule of Games for up to 20 Teams 78 9. RULES 80 9.1 Water Polo Rules 80 9.2 Age Group Rules 114 9.3 FINA Water Polo Rules Interpretations 114 9.4 Masters Rules – General 117 9.5 Masters Water Polo Rules 117 9.6 Beach Water Polo Rules 119 9.7 Medical Rules 129 9.8 Doping Control Rules 134 9.9 Facilities Rules 135 10. FORMS 138 FINA Team Entry Form FINA Water Polo Standard Game Sheet FINA Water Polo Referees List - Application Form FINA Water Polo Referees - Evaluation Sheet FINA Water Polo Referees – Daily Appointments Form FINA Water Polo Referees – Summary of Appointments Form FINA Delegates Game Summary Sheet FINA Penalty Shoot-out Form FINA Therapeutic Use Exemptions Form CREDITS: Photos by Giorgio Scala 5 FINA Water Polo Guide 2017-2021 1 OLYMPIC GAMES 1.1 REGULATIONS FOR OLYMPIC GAMES MEN’S WP TOURNAMENT 1.1.1 Participants: For the Olympic Games, an entry of a maximum of eleven (11) players may be accepted. BL 9.3.10.1 The competition shall be for a maximum of twelve (12) teams selected in the following manner: BL 9.3.10.1.2 The first team from the preceding year’s World League. BL 9.3.10.1.3 The first two (2) teams from the preceding World Championships. If any one of these two (2) teams has already qualified from the preceding year’s World League (BL 9.3.10.1.2), the next ranked team from the World Championships qualifies. BL 9.3.10.1.4 The Host Country will automatically qualify. BL 9.3.10.1.5 Automatically, one (1) team from the Continental Championships of the five (5) continents. If it is qualified at the preceding year’s World League (BL 9.3.10.1.2), or at the preceding FINA World Championships (BL 9.3.10.1.3), then the next ranked team from the continental championships will qualify. BL 9.3.10.1.6 The other three (3) teams are to come from the highest placed teams at the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament - Men. BL 9.3.10.1.8 FINA has authority to amend BL 9.3.10.1 and list in chronological order to reflect the qualification of teams in accordance with the timing of FINA Events. 1.1.2 Withdrawal & Vacancies: BL 9.3.10.1.7 If, for any reason, no team enters from a continent, or if there is an unfilled vacancy from among the teams qualified from the preceding year’s World League or preceding World Championship, the next ranking team(s) will then be taken in order from their placing at the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament – Men. 1.1.3 System of Competition: The system of competition will be as set out in BL 9.4.1.2 consisting of two groups of six (6) playing a single round robin in each group. The first four (4) highest ranked teams in each group will qualify for the Quarter Final Round. The fifth and sixth ranked teams in each group will be eliminated and will not play any more. The teams ranked sixth in each group of the Preliminary Round shall be classified for places 11 – 12 according to the following criteria: 1.